Ion affinity materials are utilized for extracting and/or binding ions present in a liquid. Such materials are useful for processes such as ion exchange chromatography, ion analysis, or removing metal ions from water samples or water supplies such as drinking water.
Ion affinity materials currently utilized as water softening agents are typically polymer beads with reactive pendent functional groups which bind ions in hard water. However, over time or under extremes of temperature and/or pressure these polymer beads can lose cohesion and can degrade resulting in blockages in the water softening and/or plumbing systems. Although some current inorganic systems are available which can survive temperature and pressure differentials, the available systems can be very difficult to regenerate.
It would be desirable to develop new ion affinity materials which can be utilized in water softening applications.